As a follow-up to our previous blog about the newly approved treatment for patients with psoriasis, we would like to share useful tips regarding lifestyle and healthy skincare. It is important to note that although these tips may help you manage your psoriasis, they are by no means a replacement for the medical treatments that are prescribed to keep your condition under good control. We have also provided some valuable resources at the end of the post that patients can review to learn more about psoriasis and its treatments.
Skin Care:
Lifestyle measures include reducing stress, quitting smoking, and maintaining daily exercise (150 minutes per week) along with getting a good night’s sleep.
Stress increases the production of inflammation in the body and can contribute to flares of psoriasis. Quitting smoking is one of the most valuable interventions people can make to improve overall health and inflammatory conditions like psoriasis are improved by quitting smoking. People with active psoriasis also have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Smoking can further increase that risk. The most effective way to quit smoking is the use of medication along with counseling.
Sleeping less than 5 hours a night places stress on the body and increases cardiovascular risk. Cognitive Behaviour for Insomnia (CBTi) is one of the most effective strategies to improve sleep.
Resources:
Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients
Canadian Dermatology Association
Canadian Skin Patient Alliance
Kunal Bhatt, RPh, PharmD, HBSc is a staff pharmacist for Charlton Health. As a 2020 PharmD graduate from the University of Toronto, Kunal possesses a diverse range of experiences from working in hospital and community pharmacy settings. Since January 2021, Kunal was heavily invested in contributing to the efforts against COVID-19 by administering upwards of 5000 COVID-19 vaccines at William Osler Health System’s vaccination clinics.
Carolyn Whiskin is the Pharmacy Manager for Charlton Health. Carolyn specializes in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, pharmaceutical compounding, women’s health, pain and smoking cessation. Carolyn has won provincial and national awards for her commitment to patient care and public service.
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